


Devil's playground

by SilentRain91



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, I Ship It, Josie is a cop, Josie is human, Penelope is cheeky, Sharing a Bed, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 06:31:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17782370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentRain91/pseuds/SilentRain91
Summary: Penelope doesn’t play by the rules, she never did. Josie, on the other hand, abides the law. What could possibly go wrong?or;The devil AU nobody asked for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea that's been in my head for some time now. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but when I started writing it I realized it's better to turn it into a multi-chapter instead. I hope you'll all enjoy the ride! :)

The streets of Mystic Falls were near empty on what had to be the sunniest Sunday of 2035. Funny, how people shied away during daytime, boarding themselves up in their homes wearing sleazy outfits, eating chips on their couch while watching reruns of some show they used to think was hip forty years ago, yet at night, adults wandered around drunk while teenagers smoked pot in someone’s basement and talked about how dope they were being.

It was pathetic. Such a waste, yet for Penelope their sad lives couldn’t end fast enough. Torturing humans helped pass time, and for Penelope, time was endless. Being immortal had its perks. She never aged, forever twenty-three on the outside, while in truth she was much older. How old, one might wonder? As a lady, Penelope could not say and was determined to take that secret to her grave.

Penelope sat down on a bench, watching from afar as a woman pressed her hands down on a man’s chest, desperately trying to keep him from bleeding out. Yawn. Boring.

Penelope crossed one leg over the other because it was obvious to her that man was unconscious and long gone, a lost cause in a list of many, and an extra addition to Penelope’s playground.

Moving on, Penelope wandered through the woods, passing a clearing. In the distance, she heard jazz, ah, such ageless music. And of course, it would not be complete without bourbon. For their simplistic, predictable existence, something about mortals kept pulling Penelope in.

Perhaps it was their relentless fight for survival even when all appeared lost, how they clung to their last draw of breath as if they could somehow cheat death itself, but they never could. Or maybe it was their ability to love someone with such a depth they would jump through hoops of fire for them.

Penelope didn’t get that. Love. It was a strange mortal-like condition. Penelope didn’t care about anyone or anything. It was so freeing, mortals ought to try it sometime. Well, some narcissists already did.

Penelope found a tavern tucked in the heart of Mystic Falls. The hinges of the door creaked when she pushed it open, but that was nowhere near as unattractive as the odor of cheap cologne sprayed onto men with a faded mark around their finger where their wedding ring was supposed to be.

Penelope flipped her hair as she made way toward the bar, conscious of the mortals glancing her way. Their lust was palpable, but the middle-aged men drooling as if they were dogs – which frankly, wasn’t an inaccurate way to describe them – left Penelope cold. Her taste pallet consisted of something far more delicate and pleasurable.

Penelope wasn’t shy, far from it, and as such, she showed off her assets in her red and black suit. What could she say? Red was her color. The top two buttons of her blouse remained open, giving bystanders a peek at her cleavage, just enough to keep them guessing.

“Bourbon, neat,” Penelope ordered, settling on a barstool. “Make it a double.”

The bartender gave a curt nod. Between the yellowish nails, the small burns on the side of his middle finger and index finger, and the bags under his eyes, he was clearly an insomniac using drugs in a sad attempt to cope with the life he never wanted but got stuck with anyway.

Penelope emptied her drink as if it were a shot. A man with a beer belly kept ogling her, nudging his pals while he bared his cavity-filled teeth in what was supposed to look like a smile. Yuck. To hell with this place.

On that note, Penelope got up and sauntered toward the door. She could have brought money with her, but where was the fun in that? It was the bartender’s job to pay attention rather than letting mortals drink themselves under the table and still serve them another glass.

Behind her, Penelope heard the bathroom stall opening and closing.

“I hope you’re planning to pay for that drink.”

That voice was far too feminine to belong to the bartender.

Penelope lingered at the door. “What if I’m not?” she inquired, turning around, facing the woman.

Oh my, the poor thing hardly looked a day older than twenty-one. A total rookie, if Penelope had to guess. And a pretty one, at that. The young woman was easy on the eyes with her dark brown doe-eyes, which simmered golden in the ray of sunlight pouring in through the window. Her eyes reminded Penelope of hot chocolate on a winter night, wrapping around her with the comfort of a blanket. Eyes like that could make someone feel right at home.

The young woman’s brown locks were divided into two braided pigtails which stopped at her shoulders. It was somewhat adorable, but overall it screamed girl scout and with a look like that, Penelope could imagine people walked all over the angelic cookie cutter.

“Stealing will you get you in trouble, you know?” Was that a promise? “You could end up in prison, so you better pay for that.”

How cute. “I’m not going to prison,” Penelope stated simply, for no prison could ever hold her. “The only place I’m going is hell.”

The young woman chuckled, though she sounded more irritated rather than amused. “Okay,” she said, holding up her hands before dropping them. “No need to be so dramatic. You’re not going to hell just because you didn’t pay for that drink.”

Penelope knew that, she didn’t need some condescending mortal to tell her. “No,” she confirmed, humoring the young woman for a minute. “I’m going to hell because I live there,” she explained, “I’m the devil.”

The cat was out of the bag now. Not that it made any difference. Nothing the young woman said or did could stop Penelope. If need be, she could always drag the mortal to hell with her, but hell was no place for the living.

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” the young woman argued, shaking her head. “If the devil was real, I’m pretty sure the devil’s a man.”

Penelope rolled her eyes. Such a typical mortal cliché to assume the devil would be a man. Please, women clearly did it better. One would think mortals agreed due to how often Penelope heard the phrase, _‘who run the world? Girls!’_ While she didn’t run the world, Penelope did rule the underworld.

“So shoot me,” Penelope challenged, spreading her arms, giving the young woman a clear shot.

The young woman’s captivating eyes widened. “W-what?” she responded, gaping.

“You’re a police officer, there’s a gun in your pocket,” Penelope answered with the knowledge this wasn’t her first rodeo. She saw the outline of the gun the moment she turned around, at the start of their interaction.

Penelope had all day, but waiting was dull. “Shoot me and you’ll see that I am the devil,” she insisted.

“I’m not going to shoot you,” the young woman scoffed. Well, that was disappointing. “But if you don’t pay for that drink, I might arrest you.”

“Might?” Penelope questioned, and perhaps this could take an interesting turn after all. “Fascinating choice of words, officer. By all means, do cuff me,” she said with a wicked, devilish grin, resting her left wrist on top of her right to make it easier for the rookie. “I sure appreciate some foreplay,” she added with a wink.

That seemed to be the final straw for the fresh out of the academy police officer.

“You have the right to remain silent-”

“I can’t ask you your name if I stay quiet, now can I?” Penelope pointed out, allowing the rookie to slap the cuffs around her wrists. Such mortal tools were nowhere near powerful enough to contain Penelope, but for now, she decided to play along.

The young woman shot Penelope a sharp glare. Mhmm, feisty.

Penelope put up no resistance on their way to the police station, only a smile. Finally some action before returning to hell where every day was pretty much the same. Torture people, wander around, find new ways to punish people, torture people some more, and so on.

The young woman ushered Penelope into a cell of the vacant station. There were no other souls around. Perhaps the rookie had a colleague somewhere, hidden in the woodworks of their home, or they all died as the result of yet another serial killer targeting Mystic Falls.

The cuffs were taken off, which was terribly underwhelming.

“Name?”

Penelope arched a brow. “I thought you wanted me to be silent? How indecisive of you, officer,” she mused, watching as the rookie stomped her foot. That was too easy.

The young woman tapped her pen against the clipboard in her hand. “Name?” she demanded through gritted teeth.

Oomph, someone was being testy. If Penelope had to guess, the young woman was involved with someone recently who didn’t want to stay in Mystic Falls. The young woman felt she couldn’t leave, tied to her duty as a law-abiding citizen with a desperate quest to make the world a better place, so she had to watch her lover go. Boohoo, get over it already.

To top it off, the rookie was probably overworked but far too nice to say no, so she kept picking up extra shifts to the point where her job had swallowed up her social life into a black void. Loneliness was an infliction mortals caved under.

“I go by Penelope,” Penelope shared.

The young woman looked up from her clipboard. “I thought you were the devil?”

Mockery, Penelope didn’t have the patience for that. Screw this pointless small talk. The longer she stayed here, the more bored she became. It was time to go back.

Penelope rubbed her hands together and whispered the ancient Latin words her father passed on to her to open a portal to hell so she could teleport back.  

“Hey!” the rookie called out. “Where do you think you’re going??”

Penelope was about to jump through the portal when she felt the young woman grasp the sleeve of her jacket. Was the cell ever even locked?

“Let go,” Penelope warned, glaring at the young woman to punctuate how serious she was.

Penelope shook her arm free, but halfway through her leap, a body toppled on top of her.

Quite literally.

Penelope blinked. She did it, she went back to hell. But there was one problematic catch.

All color disappeared from the young woman’s face as she was on top of Penelope, who was on the ground.

“Comfortable landing?” Penelope inquired, eyeing the young woman.

Despite the anger boiling in Penelope’s veins, she reached out to tuck a stray lock behind the young woman’s ear. A pretty face was still a pretty face, no matter the circumstances.

“Bloody humans,” Penelope sighed while they both got up. “I told you to let go of me. You should have listened.”

The young woman’s jaw dropped. “Oh… my…God.”

Seemed like a proper reaction for someone laying eyes upon hell for the first time.

Penelope sucked in a deep breath, ahh, sulfur and brimstone with a touch of lavender, home sweet home.

Oh, how Penelope had missed her demons and loyal subjects. Not really though, for all she cared they could turn into ashes and she wouldn’t bat an eye.

Except for her dragon because she was a rarity and couldn’t be replaced. It was also the only gift Penelope’s father ever gave her.

In hell, all of the grass was withered and covered in a thick misty layer. Penelope couldn’t see her feet, and thankfully she couldn’t see the rookie’s hideous one dollar-store sneakers crafted out of polyester either.

The sound of the dead screaming while they endured their endless torture was music in Penelope’s ears, although sometimes she wished someone would turn off that same old record to play something new for a change.

Spiders swarmed the walls, hidden in the shadows. Of all phobias, arachnophobia was Penelope’s favorite to exploit. It never ceased to amaze her how one little Arachnid could make a mortal scream murder. Spiders were lovely creatures and when it came down to the ones in hell, Penelope was their queen. She could have them attack an intruder with the snap of her fingers.

“Welcome to my playground,” Penelope said with pride. She never invited the mortal to tag along, but she did consider dragging the rookie to hell if she turned out to be a problem, and following Penelope through that portal was definitely an issue.

No living being should ever be in hell or they could get themselves killed. Penelope took great pleasure in collecting souls, but the young woman wasn’t supposed to die yet, and that law-abiding rookie had ticket to heaven written all over her. If this human died in hell, she would be trapped forever. Her soul would never find peace.

Penelope could miss dealing with upset angels if the mortal died here like she could miss sweaty old men hitting on girls half their age, believing they had a chance.

“You…you witch,” the young woman uttered, backing away from Penelope.

Seriously? Witch? The rookie was literally standing in Penelope’s realm. Beauty and brains really didn’t go hand in hand, did they? Such a pity.

“Bring me back,” the young woman demanded, taking out her gun. Oh, right, that little useless toy. “Right now!” she snapped, pointing her gun at Penelope.

“You may as well shoot me, cutie,” Penelope replied, spinning around. As the devil, she was nothing if not stylish and the mortal ruined a part of that when she tore off the sleeve of her jacket of her expensive suit when they stumbled through the portal together.

“It’s Josie!” the rookie bit out. Someone sounded like she needed to get laid, like, yesterday. “And why is that?” the mortal – Josie apparently – questioned.

“I’m not a witch, JoJo,” Penelope informed, smiling at the mortal cursing and wishing she hadn’t shared her name. But Penelope’s amused expression faded away when reality sunk in. “I can only open a portal to the mortal world every 666 hours, so-”

Josie huffed audibly. “Is that supposed to be some sort of devil humor?”

Condescending again, unbelievable. The mortal may as well roam around and get herself killed right now. Penelope couldn’t care less. Maybe she should let her spiders take care of it or one of her demons.

“I warned you to let go,” Penelope reminded the mortal. “Since I returned to my lovely home, I can’t open a portal to go back up there for another 666 hours. Call it the devil’s humor, if you want, but I can’t send you back yet.”

“666 hours?” Josie repeated, lowering her gun but still keeping it aimed at Penelope with her finger on the trigger. “So, what, I’m trapped here for… for…”

“28 days,” Penelope sufficed. “Yes.”

“I can’t be stuck in hell for four weeks!” Josie exclaimed, dropping her gun altogether. “Who will feed my cat while I’m gone!?”

Penelope laughed. Out loud.

Leave it to a walking angel to wind up in hell by mistake and worry about some pet before anything else. Although admittedly, those tiny creatures weren’t so bad and black cats were Penelope’s favorite because ignorant mortals kept associating them with bad luck.

“How does you housing a cat make me a witch?” Penelope mused, wondering if having this mortal around for four weeks could turn out to be a pleasant experience rather than a dreadful one after all.

“Whatever,” Josie grumbled. “Stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours.”

That was a fair deal. “As you wish,” Penelope responded, bending her left arm in front of her body and placing her right arm on her back, bowing with a smirk on her face.

“Don’t touch anything or you’ll die,” Penelope quickly warned the mortal, “in case you wanted to know.”

“In case I wanted to… hah, wanted to know she says,” Josie muttered, cute even when grumpy. “I can’t believe I’m stuck in hell with this… this cheeky devil,” she mumbled on while she wandered off. “Could this day get any worse?”

Turned out it could.

For Penelope.

Josie was a nightmare. That idiot mortal was going to give Penelope a headache like you wouldn’t believe it. Day one, barely three hours in hell, and Josie almost tripped into the river of lost souls. Penelope caught Josie by the back of her shirt in the nick of time.

“Don’t go near this river again,” Penelope warned, “if you fall in, the souls will drag you to the bottom and you’ll drown.”

Penelope wasn’t kidding when she told the mortal not to touch anything. That included the river. Falling into it would be touching the water, and dying.

“How can you live in such a dangerous..!” Josie shouted, trailing off, slowly closing her mouth. “Oh…right, you’re the…you know.”

The you know? Mortals were hopeless.  

“You can say devil, it’s not forbidden,” Penelope said, wishing mortals with their silly superstitions would catch fire if they called out her name three times. But alas, that wasn’t within her power.

Penelope’s eyes lingered on Josie while the young mortal paced back and forth. Good, at that rate those shoes of hers wouldn’t last a week, which would be doing everyone a favor, unless she was wearing socks with stripes on them or worse; bunnies.

Penelope didn’t sign up to babysit some mortal. Maybe she could gently induce a coma and ditch Josie at a hospital somewhere far away from Mystic Falls in a month. It would help both of them and make things easier for both of them.

Penelope ogled a rock. She never struck a woman before, let alone an innocent woman, however nauseating it was when someone never so much as bent the rules.

Penelope had an idea to pass at least an hour or two of their time together. “Are you hungry?”

Josie crossed her arms over her chest. “I bet my cat is.”

Such bitterness. How long had this mortal been deprived of sexual pleasantries? Maybe that ‘cat’ was hungrier than Josie realized.

Cheering up some human wasn’t among Penelope’s tasks and she wasn’t going to change that. She was the devil, not your everyday softie who would do anything to make a beautiful woman smile, although a smile would be nice.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Penelope decided. “Follow me before you accidentally run into the spiders.”

Josie’s eyes went round and her body froze. “What spiders?”

The catch-phrase ‘ _speak of the devil_ ,’ had the worst karma.

“JoJo,” Penelope began, holding up her hands, approaching the mortal step by step. “Whatever you do…don’t move and don’t screa-”

The high-pitched noise that erupted from the back of Josie’s throat was sharp enough to shatter glass as it echoed throughout the realm, while she hopped from one foot onto the other. “Get it off, get it off, get it off!” she yelled, flapping her arms while a spider crawled on top of her head. “Get it off of me!”

 


	2. Chapter 2

Hell was real.

Who would’ve thought?

Not Josie, that’s for sure.

Josie didn’t believe in heaven and hell, not even close. There was no God because if there was, she never would have lost her family. What kind of God would put a fifteen-year-old through that?

It happened six years ago, but it hurt all the same. The ‘accident’ was why Josie became a police officer in the first place. She wanted to make the world a better place, one step at a time. And sure, she was a dreamer, but since when was that such a bad thing?

Apparently quite bad, at least, according to Josie’s ex who left because he didn’t want to be stuck in Mystic Falls. He wanted to travel, see the world. Josie didn’t. Mystic Falls needed her, but moreover, she needed Mystic Falls. It was a decision her ex didn’t take kindly.

A relationship that lasted two years went down the drain because Raphael got bored. Josie hated him for that, hated he didn’t fight for her, for them. What was she supposed to do? Run after him? Josie couldn’t do that, Mystic Falls was her life. She couldn’t abandon her family.

“Take a seat,” Penelope instructed, bringing Josie back to the present.

Large braziers filled with hot coals which reached all the way up to the cave-like ceiling for as far as Josie could see illuminated what had to be the dining hall. As if hell wasn’t hot enough already. A scarlet rug rolled out like some red carpet on Broadway covered a large part of the ground. In this space, no mist hid her feet so she could breathe easy without worrying about spiders sneaking up on her.

A mahogany table large enough to fit ten people full of food caught Josie’s attention. Oddly, there were two plates, one on each end, almost as if the devil expected a visitor. The loaf of bread, wine, chicken, bowls filled with fruit, and more edibles, reminded Josie of some type of medieval show she once came across.

Okay, it was Merlin. Josie felt sorry for Morgana, such a misunderstood and underappreciated character.  The show came out a couple of years before Josie was born, but Mystic Falls was one of those towns that refused to age. It was charming, though, unfortunately, not everyone agreed, and some people, like her ex, sought out new places with different cultures and new food to try.

Penelope lit candles before sitting down. The chairs weren’t your average wooden chairs. In fact, they weren’t even made out of wood. They consisted of solid silver with a red cushion to sit on. Josie didn’t care if they weren’t the most comfortable, as long as the chairs weren’t made out of bones she had no reason to complain.

Josie studied Penelope while the devil filled up her plate. Hmm, grapes and an apple, nothing unusual. Josie took a moment to really look at Penelope. From all the way of the other side of the table, Josie couldn’t see Penelope’s eyes, but she knew they were made out of molten chocolate and simmered like embers, based on glimpses she caught earlier.

Scratch that. Josie had stared into Penelope’s eyes the moment the devil turned around in the tavern. Eye-contact was perfectly normal, even if not much blinking was involved. Josie did it for her job, to ensure Penelope didn’t run away. Yes, that was totally why.

Penelope took sips from her wine in between eating a handful of grapes in the same red color. The only surprising part was that the devil’s skin wasn’t red unless Penelope’s human-like appearance was nothing but a disguise. Maybe she had horns she could grow out whenever she pleased or a tail with a sharp end.

Penelope was tanned, which was odd for someone living in hell where the sun didn’t shine. Her brown locks framed her face in curly whirls and when she talked; her voice was smooth like honey and just as sweet. Judging from her appearance, she couldn’t be more than a few years older than Josie at most. But how could the devil only be in her twenties? Penelope was stunning, kind of like a temptress.

Who knew the devil was such a snack? Josie had to stop those thoughts before her cheeks turned bright red. She wasn’t attracted to Penelope. That would be ridiculous. No, it was nothing but healthy curiosity and appreciation for a good-looking woman.

“Not hungry?” Penelope – the actual devil who got Josie into this creepy hole – commented suddenly. Food was one of the last things on her mind, no matter how many options the devil put onto the table.

“Okay,” Penelope said with that cheeky smile of hers. What was up with that? Was seduction part of her job description as the devil? Because if it was, well, she wasn’t exactly failing. “I’ll bite.”

There was that charming attitude again. It drove Josie mad, especially considering she struggled to hide how easily Penelope got under her skin.

“How do you like to spend your free time?” Penelope inquired.

“With my cat,” Josie responded curtly.

Mister Muffin was all alone in Josie’s one-bedroom apartment. Once he got hungry, she was sure his insistent meowing would get her next door neighbor to feed him, as it always did because that chubby little guy was as spoiled as could be, but Josie worried nonetheless. Four weeks was a long time to be gone for someone who never left longer than twenty-four hours.

Much to Penelope’s credit as the devil, she hadn’t lost her temper yet. Josie wasn’t sure she even wanted to find out what Penelope was capable of if she ever became seriously angry. Thinking about it, Josie did kind of invade Penelope’s home, and it was Josie’s own fault she fell through that portal.

Then again, if Penelope hadn’t left the tavern without paying, Josie wouldn’t have been here to begin with.

“I don’t have a cat, but I do have kitten ears,” Penelope said with such tranquility it caught Josie off guard.

The corners of Penelope’s mouth inched up. “I even have a matching suit.”

Josie tilted her head to the side, eyebrows creasing together. “You have a catsuit?” That sounded fake, but okay.

“Mhmm,” Penelope hummed. “It’s made out of leather,” she told Josie with a wink.

And there it was. Josie wasn’t even surprised. Cheeky, charming devil, playing her cards, which she could do as much as she pleased. She could have at it, but Josie’s feelings weren’t a toy. Thankfully, as a trained police officer, she knew how to stay detached. Nothing the devil said or did could ever tempt her.

“Thanks but no thanks,” Josie passed while she tried not to imagine what Penelope would look like in such a skintight suit.

Josie had to stay focused. Penelope wanted her to think about her in a leather suit. It was a game. Josie wasn’t going to fall for such parlor tricks.

“Your loss, JoJo.”

Four weeks of that smug attitude. Josie might as well let the spiders get to her, but she wasn’t a quitter. For all she knew Penelope lied to her about not being able to open another portal for 28 days. After all, Penelope was the devil. It was possible it was all some twisted ploy to dig her claws into Josie. Either way, if there was an exit, she was determined to find it.

“Do you have a last name?” Penelope inquired. Duh, who doesn’t? Why couldn’t she just shut up and leave Josie in peace?

“Why are you asking me this?” Josie replied rather than answering. “You’re the devil. Don’t you know all of this already from some file or something?”

Penelope’s eyes lingered on Josie while a smile formed on her face. Ugh, so not fair. Was the devil that stunning to trick people into sinning? Josie would have thought the devil would look like the most hideous monster ever, but instead, Penelope struck Josie as an enchantress.

“I’m the devil, not Santa Claus,” Penelope stated coolly. The humor in her voice wasn’t lost on Josie. “I don’t keep a naughty and nice list,” Penelope added.

Josie sighed. “If I eat some food, will you leave me alone?”

Penelope zipped her fingers in front of her mouth. The gesture was entirely too smug with that smile of hers, but at least Josie got Penelope to be quiet, so that was a win.

Josie skimmed the food that was within reach. It had to be edible, right? She had the feeling Penelope wanted to keep her alive, considering the devil did keep Josie from accidentally drowning herself. She was such a klutz sometimes, it was frustrating. All she wanted was to have a look, she still did.

Josie filled up her plate, feeling hungrier than she realized once she took the first bite. The textures of the food danced on her tongue and if she thought she ate fruit before, nothing compared to the fruit on this table. It was finger-licking good, but she politely used a napkin instead.

Penelope leaned forward, shamelessly staring at Josie.

Josie wondered how hard it was for Penelope not to comment and it wasn’t lost on Josie how Penelope’s eyes followed her every move when she licked her lips to gather up some juice threatening to spill down her chin.

Josie knew she wasn’t exactly unflattering. Her sister used to call her the second most beautiful person in the world because Lizzie always said the prettiest one above all was their mother. Josie never tried to look pretty because as her mother used to say, true beauty was on the inside.

“Your food tastes incredible,” Josie expressed once she was done eating. “Thank you for dinner.”

“You’re welcome,” Penelope replied, leaning back in her chair, placing her hands on the armrests.

“Excuse me,” Josie said while she got up, always minding her table manners. She almost asked for permission, but she was an adult, she could go as she pleased. “I need to stretch my legs.”

On her way out of the dining hall, Josie kept glancing over her shoulder to check if Penelope was following her or not. Josie didn’t need the devil shadowing her, so she was glad to see that wasn’t the case. Josie wasn’t a helpless child or a damsel in distress, despite the spider incident and almost getting herself drowned, which didn’t count. She could take care of herself, foreign place or not.

Josie couldn’t see anyone or anything following her, but she couldn’t shake the feeling eyes lingered on her, watching her. The screams of people begging for help were nightmare-inducing. Josie wandered further, to where the noise was less loud, which happened to be closer to the river of souls she stumbled across earlier. Quite literally.

Josie crouched down, roughly five to ten inches away from the river. Close enough to have a look while far away enough not to fall in. She wondered if the souls that swam around in there were souls that hadn’t found closure. Would they be able to talk? If they could touch her, then it wasn’t so crazy if they were capable of more than that.

“Hello?” Josie whispered, leaning a bit closer.

“I told you not to go near this river again.”

Penelope’s voice appearing out of nowhere startled Josie. She lost her balance and fell onto her ass. How humiliating. She knew she wasn’t supposed to approach the river, but her curiosity took the upper hand, and she was being perfectly careful this time.

Josie peered at the river, at the souls swirling around aimlessly. “Do only adults get condemned to hell?” she wondered aloud. The devil would know such things, whereas Josie didn’t.

Josie was met with silence until Penelope crouched down next to her.

Penelope’s gaze lingered on the river. “Not always,” she said, lacking her usual smugness which now had made place for a stoic mask, or perhaps this was the real Penelope, stone-like.

Those two words slowly sank in. “Oh…,” Josie whispered, swallowing when she felt a lump form in the back of her throat.

Penelope turned her face. “What’s their name?” she questioned, eyes resting on Josie.

Josie blinked. “Whose name?” she replied, ignoring the fact her heart was pretty much in her throat right now.

Josie peeled her eyes away from the river in favor of meeting Penelope’s and oh, that was a mistake. Those smoldering embers captivated Josie to the point where she couldn’t bring herself to shift her gaze. How could someone linked to evil have such warmth in her eyes?

“The name of the person you’re looking for,” Penelope clarified, although Josie knew her denial was in vain. “Everyone is looking for someone,” Penelope claimed, which made Josie wonder, did she? Was the devil searching for someone, too?

“I’m not looking for anyone,” Josie denied. It was none of the devil’s business. Josie didn’t owe her any answers.

After a beat, Josie said, “I thought you didn’t have a list.”

“I don’t,” Penelope confirmed. “But my dementor knows the name of every soul in hell.”

“Dementor?” Josie scoffed. “If you’re not a witch then what are you? Voldemort?”

“Do I look that hideous to you?”

“No, you’re gorgeous,” Josie blurted out. Dammit, spoken too fast. It wasn’t a lie, far from it, but she was caught off guard with that question. And now, she had to face a smile that made her insides turn into jelly. “I, ah, I mean you’re not that bad,” she rushed to explain, palms sweaty. “Looks-wise. I know you’re the devil so you’re naughty.”

Josie wished the ground would swallow her whole right about now so she could stop dying from embarrassment. She played right into Penelope’s hand and that slick devil didn’t even have to try.  

“I mean bad,” Josie corrected. “You’re bad, I think. But physically speaking you’re not that bad.”

Josie sighed. Great, now she reduced herself to an idiot who talked in circles. And not that bad? Who was she trying to fool?

A smile played on Penelope’s lips. Her right hand gently came down on Josie’s thigh. “You’re not so bad yourself,” Penelope told Josie.

Josie stared down at Penelope’s hand as if it was a hot piece of charcoal burning a hole into her pants. Josie wasn’t sure whether she wanted to pull away or leave the gesture for what it was.

“I was kidding about the dementor,” Penelope revealed. “I do have demons who can tell you whether the person you’re looking for is here or not.”

“I told you I’m not looking for anyone,” Josie grumbled, pushing Penelope’s hand away, “and I told you to leave me alone.”

Josie scrambled up and walked away. It wasn’t Penelope’s fault she lost her family, but Josie didn’t want to talk about any of it because it was a sore topic. She never even told her ex. It was her burden to bear, her past to live with.

“You can’t continue to wear those clothes of yours,” Penelope called out after Josie.

Josie froze in her tracks. “W-what?” she stammered. Was Penelope seriously trying to get her to undress?

“You stand out too much in that little getup of yours,” Penelope answered, gesturing at Josie. “You need to blend in,” Penelope insisted, “because you’re drawing attention. It’s for your own protection.”

So the devil genuinely did care about keeping Josie alive. She liked her clothes just fine though and she never bothered with fitting in before, so why would she change now? Then again, she had no luggage on her whatsoever and wasn’t planning on wearing the same clothes for four weeks straight.

One thought led Josie to another. What if Penelope used the needing to blend in as an excuse to offer Josie some spare clothes without making it sound like she was being nice?

Josie didn’t want to be a rude guest, but could she even call herself that? She wasn’t shackled, though that didn’t mean she wasn’t a prisoner. Ironically, she knew she went to hell all by herself. “Fine,” Josie agreed with a sigh, “I’ll wear whatever you want.”

“Except for that leather catsuit,” Josie added quickly, sensing Penelope’s smugness which no doubt would have been paired with some cheeky comment.

“You don’t have to wear that, JoJo,” Penelope replied in a sweet purr. “But I might,” she whispered, winking.

Josie contained a groan. Who even winked like that? It wasn’t a normal wink, more of a luscious one, one that made Josie want to reach out and kiss that smug smile off of Penelope’s face. Not that Josie had any intention whatsoever of locking lips with that criminally smooth charmer.

Penelope stretched out her hand, palm turned upwards. “I won’t bite if you won’t.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Penelope led Josie into her chambers and when she let go of the mortal’s hand, Penelope found herself missing the contact. Hmm, if she was fair, it had been a while since she satisfied her sexual appetite. It was nothing more than a carnal need.

Josie placed her left hand on her right arm as if she didn’t know what to do with it now that they stopped holding hands, although Penelope didn’t quite consider it handholding but rather guiding. She had to make sure the mortal didn’t stumble over anything on the way to her private room or wound up with another spider crawling over her body.

The closer Josie stayed to Penelope, the better. For Josie’s safety, of course. Penelope loathed the thought of having some mortal attached to her hip for a month, no matter how adorable said mortal was.

“So, um,” Josie spoke softly, rubbing her hand up and down her arm. “This place smells different.”

Ah yes, Penelope’s chambers didn’t have that sulfur scent mixed with brimstone and a touch of lavender. Her room smelled like a mixture of exotic fruits. It was meant to be an aphrodisiac, a small souvenir she found at a shop in Mystic Falls back in 1856.

“It’s nice,” Josie added with a thin smile, plucking at her shirt.

This mortal was particularly nervous around Penelope. She thought of commenting on that, but since Josie never laid eyes upon hell before, Penelope cut her some slack. The poor thing must have had a hard day and given Josie’s interest in the river of lost souls, clearly an ever harder past.

“Is this your room?”

For someone who wanted to be left alone, Josie was surprisingly talkative. Must have been the nerves.

“No, this is the guestroom,” Penelope lied easily.

“Good, okay, this will work,” Josie replied, sounding genuinely relieved. She stopped fidgeting, eyes roaming around. “I twist and turn in my sleep a lot,” she shared with a chuckle, but then, she went quiet and the light in her eyes dulled.

Okay, who hurt the living embodiment of an angel? If Penelope found the bastard responsible for stealing Josie’s smile away she would personally condemn them to hell. Penelope couldn’t stand seeing a woman sad.

On another note, Penelope was going to miss her chambers.

A queen-sized black bed with red silk sheets adorned the center of the room. Two large torches hung on the wall on either side, always burning. There was a dresser in one corner; each drawer was filled with lingerie, toys, and nightgowns. The second corner had a lounge chair, the third a closet which mostly contained suits but also a handful of dresses, and the fourth had a door to an adjoining bathroom.

Penelope opened her closet. It was late, making something to sleep in more suitable than handing the mortal pants and a shirt. She ran the tip of her finger over her clothes while she tried to decide on what to lend Josie. Penelope could let Josie choose for herself, but nobody ever borrowed any of the devil’s clothes before.

Penelope’s closet wasn’t some ‘all you can eat’ buffet. There were suits in there nobody was allowed to even touch or she would incinerate the weasel who dared try. Not that it meant she was going to dress up Josie like a doll, regardless of how much fun that might be.

“Pick whichever one you like,” Penelope offered, splaying out six different types of nightwear.

Josie rolled her lips into her mouth. “Thanks,” she mumbled, taking a step closer to have a look at her options.

“If you take off your clothes, I’ll put them somewhere for safekeeping,” Penelope uttered. More like to make sure those never saw the light of day again. “Especially your shoes,” she added, definitely couldn’t forget about the cheap polyester.

“I guess,” Josie replied, and maybe she was smart after all. It was a clever move to hesitate, but it also revealed how shy she was. “You have to turn around,” she insisted. “Don’t look.”

Case in point.

Was this a good time to mention the bathroom? One might say yes, but where was the fun in that?

Penelope did turn around, but nobody ever said she wasn’t allowed to turn back. As for the not looking part, technically she was staring. All she saw was Josie’s back, for now, which made Penelope think. If the mortal caught her, the mood would plummet to new depths, and she did have to put up with her for another 27 days after today.

Penelope cleared her throat. “If you’d like to freshen up, you’re welcome to use the bathroom,” she explained, gesturing at the bathroom door.

“Are you serious!?” Josie exclaimed while she hurriedly covered herself up with her shirt. “You couldn’t have told me that when you told me to take off my clothes?”

“You didn’t ask,” Penelope pointed out. “Besides,” she sighed softly, leaning against the wall, “who am I to stop a pretty young woman from undressing with such eagerness?”

Josie groaned, muttered something Penelope couldn’t hear, snatched up one of the nightgowns, and stomped into the bathroom with a loud, “I hate you!”

Such rage. Penelope liked it. That kind of feisty temperament could keep her on her toes. Each time she thought Josie might be a burden to have around, the mortal proved Penelope wrong.

Intriguing. Penelope wondered what else she would unravel.

After a while, Josie shuffled out of the bathroom. “Do you have a comb somewhere? I need to comb out my hair so it doesn’t knot too much while I sleep,” she explained, standing there sheepishly.

“Sure,” Penelope answered, opening the top drawer of her dresser where she left her comb.

“I thought this wasn’t your room.”

Damn that rookie. “It isn’t,” Penelope replied coolly, unflinching. “I keep a comb in every room, as well as clothes and the likes.”

“Sounds like a convenient coincidence.”

Penelope glanced down at the comb in her hand. If she threw it with just enough force, she might be able to knock the mortal out for the night without giving her a concussion.

Josie sat down on the bed. “Um, would you…,” she began, stopped.

Okay, Penelope could bite. “Would I what?”

“It’s a silly request,” Josie sighed, wringing her hands together. “I was going to ask you if you’d mind brushing my hair for me, it just…it calms me.”

Well, in that case, Penelope didn’t have to search for ways on how to knock out Josie without actually hitting her. “Sure, JoJo,” Penelope agreed, granting the unusual request. She never combed anyone’s hair before other than her own.

Josie had nice, clean hair, unlike some mortals with hair so greasy fries could be baked in them. And when Penelope untied Josie’s braids, she discovered her hair also happened to be soft to touch.

“At least I know you’re not a vampire,” Josie commented out of the blue. “So that’s a good thing.”

Was it so impossible to believe Penelope was the devil? The mortal got herself dragged to hell; evidence couldn’t be more irrefutable than that.

“The… the hairbrush,” Josie clarified, clearing her throat. “It’s made out of silver.”

“What do you have against vampires?” Penelope inquired while she ran her fingers through Josie’s hair, sorting out her braids.

“I don’t really hold anything against vampires in general. I used to have this friend when I was younger, who was a vampire, and we were close, but he left without saying goodbye after Liz – – he just left and I wished he wouldn’t have. That’s all.”

The hardest goodbyes were those that went unspoken, but Josie didn’t need Penelope to tell her that. If mortals had a scent based on their emotions, this one would smell like loneliness. Penelope wondered if Josie had anyone out there in the world, anyone at all, even if it was just one person.

Penelope decided to steer the conversation in a different direction. “Should I get a bucket of red paint, fake horns to put on my head, and torch my hair to help you come to terms with the fact I am the devil?” she said with a humored chuckle

“You know, that is pretty close to how I’d imagine the devil,” Josie replied, chuckling as well.

The sound was light and pleasant to hear. Penelope had to admit she liked it, though not that she would out loud. Everyone had secrets and she had so many, she may as well keep one more. Penelope knew how to torture people or how to please them, among other wicked things. She drew energy out of it and this, making Josie laugh, was refreshing to the point where it made Penelope feel reborn.

“That nightdress becomes you,” Penelope complimented while she ran her brush through Josie’s locks.

The black dress that stopped right around Josie’s knees was quite the improvement. It exposed her arms, her clavicles, and her shoulders. Penelope’s lips met Josie’s left shoulder, pressing there for a second or two, eyes fluttered closed at Josie’s sharp inhale.

“I’m actually quite tired,” Josie said while she shifted. “Would you mind calling it a night?”

That wasn’t the kind of outcome Penelope expected. Once again, the mortal proved her wrong. Penelope should have simply combed Josie’s damn hair and left her alone. It felt too much like taking one step forward followed by taking two steps back.

“As you wish,” Penelope replied, putting the hairbrush aside. “Have a wickedly good night, officer.”

“You, too…Penelope.”

With that, Penelope stepped out of her chambers where she remained on the other side of the door. Minutes went by while she wondered what caused the onset of the sudden shift. One moment, Josie appeared lighter and laughed, the next she pushed Penelope away. Was it the compliment? The butterfly kiss she planted on Josie’s shoulder in a moment of weakness? Was it both? Or something else altogether?

Penelope stood there for the longest time when she slowly opened the door, inch by inch. The torches shone some light onto the mortal who was out for the count. Penelope tip-toed toward her bed, tilting her head as she watched Josie.

Josie’s hair was splayed onto the pillow like an angelic halo. One of her arms hung out of the bed while her other was stretched onto the pillow on the other side of the bed. It was strange how this mortal didn’t sleep in the middle. Force of habit perhaps.

In this kind of position, Josie appeared younger, barely an adult. She didn’t twist and turn like she claimed she did. Aside from the rise and fall of her chest, she was deadly still. It was beautiful, seeing the mortal in such a deep slumber. Penelope never observed anyone while they slept before.

“Why did you jump through that portal with me?” Penelope whispered quietly, sighing. “You foolish mortal. Can’t you see if hell doesn’t kill you, I’ll be the death of you? I destroy everything I touch and you…you are far too innocent.”

Penelope reached out her hand, hovering close to Josie’s cheek, but she withdrew her hand a beat later. It would be a bad idea for Penelope to even think about getting attached to something temporary. With that thought, she backed away, only to bump into someone.

“Minxie,” Penelope realized, sighing as she looked down at her dragon. Of course, her dragon wriggled her way into her chambers, as she did every night.

Minxie nudged the palm of Penelope’s hand, making a soft rumbling noise.

“Quiet, Minxie, my girl,” Penelope whispered, ushering her dragon out of her chambers. “We can’t awaken our guest.”

Minxie was no taller than a large dog and about as fierce as a bunny, but after the spider incident, Penelope wasn’t keen on the mortal meeting her dragon, not when it was only Josie’s first night in hell. Penelope had to keep her little fire breather hidden for now.

Minxie looked up at Penelope, head comically tipped to the side. Compared to her dragon, dolphins were scary. That little black-scaled beauty had a habit of sneaking up on Penelope’s demons when she wasn’t around, rolling over onto her back and making noises until the demons showered her with attention. 

“I know,” Penelope hummed, scooping Minxie up into her arms, “but we won’t be sleeping in my bed tonight.”

Minxie was practically a baby, though not the best behaved one. Sometimes, when she got bored, she chased after the spiders and spit little balls of fire at them. Perhaps Penelope’s dragon could pose a danger to the mortal after all since humans weren’t fire resistant.

Penelope used her foot to open the door of different chambers, setting her dragon down. This would have to do for the night. She snapped her fingers and pointed at the raven carpet in the corner, eyes burning red.

Minxie let out a whine, dipped her head down, and submissively got onto the carpet.

“I see you found a new plaything,” the demon who gave the other demons a run for their money taunted. “A little risqué to bring a living human here, though, even for you.”

Penelope clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “JoJo is not a toy.”

“JoJo, hmm?” the demon noted with a naughty smile and a red glint in her eyes.

Penelope faced her demon with a raise of her chin. “What about it, Hope?”

Hope, such an ironic name for a demon, but what could Penelope say? Her sense of humor had a dark edge.

“You nicknamed her,” Hope answered, and Penelope knew Hope wouldn’t let her live that down. “So, toy, pet, submissive…call her what you like. What’s her deal anyway?”

“She’s a police officer and she was never meant to be here,” Penelope revealed in a hushed tone. “If you, or any of the other demons so much as breathe on her, I will rip out your spine through your throat, is that clear?” she warned with a smile that could burn down the world.

Hope lifted an eyebrow. “Off-limits it is.”

“Though,” Hope added. Leave it to a demon to try Penelope’s patience while it was wearing thin. “I’m a tad offended,” Hope said, “that you skipped out on dinner with me to entertain a mortal.”

The left corner of Penelope’s mouth tugged up into a sinister smirk. “My, my, Hope,” she teased, dancing her fingertips up Hope’s chest before fisting her shirt.

Penelope lifted her free hand and scraped the tip of her nail down Hope’s cheek, pressing just hard enough to make her demon feel it without drawing blood. “You’re not jealous are you?” Penelope husked, grasping hold of Hope’s chin, leaning into her personal space.

Hope chuckled and pulled herself free. “I’d bang her, too.”

Penelope did think about bending Josie over the table for dessert, but Penelope had a little more class than that. She lived for the sexual tension, for the slow buildup where it became torture not to kiss, not to touch. Penelope didn’t like ladies she could talk out of their clothes with a snap of her fingers. Chasing someone was far more alluring than someone who would throw themselves into Penelope’s arms.

“So, what brings you to my chambers?” Hope inquired, perching herself up on her bed, smoothing over her black silk sheets.

“I need a place to crash,” Penelope answered, thanks to having passed up hers to the mortal.

“Make yourself at home,” Hope responded while she lifted her sheets. “But no spooning,” she warned with a look of utter disgust.

Penelope chuckled dryly. “Honey, I’d rather vomit than spoon someone,” she stated matter-of-factly.

Hope pulled her shirt over her head and chucked it onto the floor. “I sleep naked, by the way,” she informed Penelope while she got rid of the rest of her clothes.

Penelope didn’t care how Hope slept or if she even slept at all. Hope could do whatever she wanted as long as she stayed away from Josie and didn’t try anything cheesy like cuddling with Penelope. As the devil, being soft wasn’t her thing. She liked it rough, skin on skin with nails raking down her back and teeth sinking into her neck.

Unlike the mortal, Penelope did appreciate vampires. And it showed, considering she was the one who recruited Hope; part vampire. But first and foremost, Hope was a demon.

“I think the mortal is looking for someone she holds dear,” Penelope said while she got into bed. “Someone young. A teenager perhaps.”

“I didn’t take you for a pillow-talker.”

Penelope was no such thing. “Don’t make me set you on fire again.”

Hope sighed. “Knock yourself out,” she replied with a shrug.

“Your defiance could get you in trouble, you know that,” Penelope warned, having destroyed demons before because they failed to know their place.

“I could listen to you talk if I wasn’t distracted.”

“When was the last time you fed?” Penelope questioned, and at Hope’s silence, Penelope gathered her hair and brushed it over her shoulder, exposing her neck. “Feed.”

Veins appeared around Hope’s eyes. She grabbed the back of Penelope’s neck and grunted, panting while she waited.

Penelope smiled, pleased by the flicker of submission. “Drink,” she commanded, gritting her teeth as Hope’s fangs dug into her skin.

It wasn’t the first time Penelope allowed Hope to drink from her. Feeling Hope’s fangs sink into her neck hurt every time, but it was a kind of pain that felt good to Penelope, like a drug giving her a high, only stronger. She didn’t shy away from bloody situations and because she was the devil, she always healed.

Penelope’s mood flipped like a table when she heard the same scream she heard earlier today, only much louder.

Immediately alarmed the mortal was in life-threatening danger, Penelope gave Hope a push hard enough to toss her across the room, and ran toward her chambers, not knowing if she could get to Josie in time.

 


	4. Chapter 4

“No, no, nooo!”

Josie screamed so loud it made her throat hurt. Her lungs felt as if she inhaled smoke, but she had to keep going. She wasn’t running fast enough, she didn’t try hard enough.

“Please,” Josie whimpered, pushing her body to its limit, legs burning.

“Please, please, no!” Josie cried out. “This can’t be happening. No, no, no!”

“Josie.”

“Nooo!” Josie yelled with all she had, feeling like she was going to pass out from exhaustion at any moment. “Mom, dad, please no. Please, please, please, God, please no.”

“Wake up, JoJo.”

More tears welled up in Josie’s eyes. “Lizzie, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“Josie, wake up. Listen to me, you’re dreaming. It’s just a nightmare. Wake up.”

Josie panted and blinked. She wasn’t out on the streets, running. While she gasped for air, the present slowly dawned on her. She was in hell, in a room the devil gave her, and she was covered in sweat. Josie’s cheeks were wet with tears while more pricked in her eyes.

It was real, all of it, everything. “It was real,” Josie whimpered, unable to stop her body from shaking. Her lip quivered. It was more than a nightmare, it was a memory.

Penelope snuck her arms around Josie’s waist, reeling her in. “You’re safe here,” Penelope whispered, voice soothing like a lullaby. “I got you, JoJo.”

Josie took short shallow breaths, sniffling while Penelope caressed her hand up and down her back. Josie barely remembered the last time someone comforted her after a nightmare so intense, it felt as if she was right there again, reliving that day. The last person who had done that was M.G, around Josie’s sixteenth birthday, but the pain of the reality broke him, so he abandoned her just like everyone else.

And Rafael, who didn’t know about Josie’s past, thought she suffered from lucid dreams. He even had her medicated for it, but none of that ever helped. All Josie needed was time and for the most part, she learned to live with what happened, but some nights the ghosts of her past snuck up on her.

Josie didn’t want the devil to see her like this. Josie's tears simmered down while her confusion grew. She didn’t know what to do with the fact Penelope was hugging her, but Josie didn’t want it to stop, not yet. So she wrapped her arms around Penelope, hoping not to be left alone right now.

Josie wanted to ask Penelope if she would mind staying the night, but she couldn’t even begin to form words. Every attempt to speak resulted in another whimper escaping the back of Josie’s throat.

“You know, I happen to make a wicked hot coco,” Penelope spoke, but the moment she tried to break the hug, Josie held on tighter.

Hot chocolate sounded good, but Josie needed five more minutes. She didn’t mean to be clingy or to spring all of this onto someone who was essentially a stranger, but it wasn’t like she was capable of controlling her nightmares. How loud did she scream for Penelope to rush in? Josie didn’t want to be a nuisance and she definitely didn’t want to keep anyone from sleeping just because she was having a rough night.

“Okay,” Penelope sighed out, though she didn’t sound annoyed. “Later it is. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the second greatest treat you’ll ever experience.”

Josie’s mind flooded with images of what the best thing she would ever experience would be. “God, you’re so smug,” she replied, having an inkling what Penelope might have meant.

“And she talks,” Penelope noted, pulling back a few inches. “How are you feeling?” she asked, placing her hands on Josie’s shoulders, fingers working on the tension in her muscles.

To Penelope’s credit, she didn’t correct Josie on how she wasn’t God. By now, Josie was well aware of the fact Penelope was the devil, although it was hard to believe. Why would the devil hug Josie after she had a nightmare? That didn’t exactly scream evil.

It was sweet, actually. Josie really needed that. Maybe Penelope was more than a charming devil.

“I feel disgusting,” Josie answered, glancing down at the nightdress, which stuck to her skin because of how much she had been sweating. “I think some hot coco might be nice.”

“How about you freshen up while I go make you some hot coco, deal?”

Josie swallowed and managed a nod.

“Hey,” Penelope whispered, caressing Josie’s cheek with the back of her index finger. “I’ll be back soon, JoJo,” Penelope said, smiling thinly. “You’re safe here.”

Josie watched Penelope leave and once she was gone, Josie picked out a different nightdress and went into the bathroom. The devil had the best shower. It had a panel to regulate the temperature, pressure, soaps, scents, and massaging sponges.

Josie’s trip to hell was almost like a vacation where she got to stay at some fancy hotel that was way above her paycheck by a couple of digits; if it wasn’t for the screams of those being tortured, which she thankfully couldn’t hear in the room Penelope claimed was just a guestroom. And if it wasn’t for the fact it was always dark, aside from the torches that were used as a light source. Then there was also the river of lost souls, the spiders, and other unpleasant details.

All in all, the food and this room almost made up for the downsides of being stuck in hell.

By the time Josie emerged from the bathroom, Penelope had returned with one cup in each hand, and something about the devil was visibly different.

Penelope had changed into a crimson nightgown, if it could even be called that because it was more like a babydoll. The silk fabric stopped midway her thighs, showing off most of her legs. It was downright sexy and utterly sinful, making it hard for Josie not to stare.

“Interesting choice,” Penelope commented, moving her eyes down Josie’s body before snapping them back up.

Josie bit her lip, self-conscious of the white nightdress she found and slipped into. She wasn’t sure what Penelope meant with her comment because she didn’t smile or smirk. Instead, Penelope’s face remained neutral as was her voice when she said it.

“Be careful, it’s hot,” Penelope warned, holding out one of the cups.

“I can see that,” Josie blurted out, just about gawking at Penelope’s legs. “Because of the steam,” Josie quickly recovered. “I can imagine it must b-be…,” she trailed off, distracted when Penelope sat down, which made the dress hike up an inch or two, revealing even more of Penelope’s tanned legs. “Hot,” Josie finished in an awkward voice.

Penelope smiled in that devilish way of hers. “Like what you see?” she purred, arching her back.

If Penelope kept doing that it was going to become very difficult for Josie to breathe. So much for the devil claiming she wanted to keep Josie alive. It was entirely unfair. Penelope was attractive and that sneaky charmer knew she was, and she knew precisely how to use that in her advantage.

But Josie was a professional. She could handle this in a chill way.

“No. I mean yes! Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.”

Right, so chill. Josie had to work on that. She was out of practice when it came to people hitting on her while they shouldn’t, not that many ever did, and the devil probably flirted right and left.

Penelope’s smile grew wider. “You’re cute.”

Josie felt her cheeks heat up because no she wasn’t. There was nothing cute about embarrassing herself. “Thanks,” she mumbled quickly, busying herself with her cup of hot chocolate.

For someone who was the ruler of hell, Penelope sure made hot coco that tasted like heaven. Josie tried to pace herself to not finish all of it at once. It was hot, but not scorching as long as she blew some of the steam away first.

While she drank, Josie couldn’t help but notice how Penelope kept staring at her. It was nowhere near subtle. The devil’s eyes lingered on Josie, which gave her an idea.

Penelope did ask Josie barely five minutes ago if she liked what she saw, and well, two could play that game. “See something you like?” she asked, making her best attempt at smirking the way Penelope had.

“You got some hot coco on your lip.”

“Oh…” So much for getting back at Penelope. That explained why the devil kept looking at Josie. “Here?” she questioned, pointing at the left side of her mouth.

Penelope said nothing. Instead, she shifted closer and ran the pad of her thumb across Josie’s upper lip. “There,” Penelope whispered, “no more hot coco mustache, although you did look adorable with it.”

“Stop calling me that,” Josie replied, blushing much worse than before.

“I could, but that won’t make it any less true, JoJo.”

Josie’s breath hitched ever so slightly. The combination of Penelope calling her JoJo and being in her personal space was making Josie a little light-headed.

Josie wrung her hands when Penelope got up to take away their empty cups, feeling her stomach clench as Penelope was about to head out the door.

“Wait,” Josie called out, and Penelope did.

Josie ran a hand through her hair, tucking a lock behind her ear. “Would you…could you…,” she tried, tongue-tied all of a sudden, struggling to express what she wanted to say.

“Don’t go,” Josie whispered, feeling a heavy weight press on her chest. “Can you stay?” she requested, glancing at the bed which had plenty of space for two.

“Are you suggesting a sleepover?”

“Um, I guess?” Josie replied, chewing the inside of her cheek. “I guess so,” she sighed, thinking how it had been ages since she had one of those.

Josie wasn’t much of a people person. She wasn’t exactly anti-social, but she wasn’t close with anybody. In Mystic Falls, most people recognized her on sight, as a police officer, but she didn’t have anyone to hang out on the couch with, not since M.G left a few years back, and since her relationship with her ex ended. After what happened to Lizzie, Josie pushed their mutual contacts away. She couldn’t deal with their questions and comments, their constant gossip as if the ‘accident’ was something to be excited about.

“Whatever you want, cutie,” Penelope commented, chuckling when Josie pouted.

For crying out loud, she wasn’t cute. Josie wasn’t some sweet innocent summer child, if that was what the devil thought. As a young teenager, she pulled the fire alarm at school once and got into trouble. The fact she bawled her eyes out and told the principal she was really sorry didn’t count. She could be a rebel. One who followed the law, but hey, there was a difference between a rebel and a criminal, and Josie wasn’t the latter.

Josie slid under the sheets, watching as Penelope did the same, although it made her frown how Penelope stayed near the edge of the bed.

“Being mortal isn’t contagious, you know?” Josie said, at which Penelope raised a brow at her. “And I don’t bite,” Josie added.

“Pity,” Penelope responded, moving closer to the middle of the bed. “I would have let you.”

Josie opened and closed her mouth. Should she even be surprised the devil was into such things? Probably not. Once again, her words completely backfired.

“Don’t sneak out once I fall asleep,” Josie all but pleaded. “I…I don’t want to wake up alone.”

“I won’t. When you wake up, I’ll be here.”

Josie smiled hopefully and inched closer toward Penelope. Careful, uncertain, Josie placed her head onto Penelope’s shoulder. Josie was a cuddle bug, always gravitating toward the person sharing a bed with her. She knew Penelope didn’t know her that well and vice versa, but Penelope had been friendly and charming so far, so maybe Penelope enjoyed this kind of closeness as much as Josie did.

“Promise?” Josie asked in a whisper, shifting enough to be able to look into Penelope’s eyes.

Penelope lifted her arm, a bit slow and robotic, unlike every other time she moved. But then her gaze softened. “I promise,” she uttered, running her fingers gently through Josie’s hair, again and again.

Josie smiled, closing her eyes for a moment at the contact that felt pleasant and soothing. She snuggled closer, draping an arm over Penelope’s stomach.

“Good night, JoJo,” Penelope sighed softly. “May you have sweet dreams.”

Without thinking, Josie kissed Penelope on the cheek. It was a reflex and the second she did it, Josie’s face paled in utter mortification.

“I’m sorry,” Josie apologized, pulling away, gulping. “I…I don’t know why I did that.” She really didn’t.

God, that was dumb. Josie didn’t want Penelope to leave or worse.  

“It’s okay,” Penelope whispered. “I’m not mad,” she claimed, placing her hand on Josie’s jaw, thumb caressing Josie’s cheek.

Releasing a breath she didn’t know she was holding, Josie snuggled back into Penelope, burying her face in the crook of Penelope’s neck.

Josie felt Penelope’s hand stroke her back until she drifted off to sleep. The last thing Josie registered was how Penelope kissed the crown of her head, although that might have been a dream.

The next morning when Josie woke up, she discovered with a relief Penelope was still there, true to her word.

“Good morning, stranger,” Josie yawned, lips molding into a smile while she stretched her arms.

Penelope smiled back and for a brief moment, Josie wondered how long Penelope had been awake for, just lying there, staring. “Good morning, JoJo,” she replied, righting herself. “Welcome back to the land of the living,” she added with a wink.

Josie half-heartedly rolled her eyes. “You’re hot,” she noted, missing the warmth of being cuddled up with Penelope. “Your skin!” Josie blurted out. “You feel hot.”

Josie wanted to shove her foot into her mouth. Penelope looked at her in that way again, all smug and confident.

“I liked cuddling with you,” Josie confessed, ducking her head, cheeks red. Deep down, she hoped Penelope would take it as a hint and sleep with her again tonight, as strangers who might become friends.

Penelope rested her palm onto the mattress, near Josie, and leaned in.

Josie’s eyes went round. Was Penelope going to kiss her? What if Josie was a bad kisser? God, not to mention her awful morning breath. Josie stumbled back and lost her balance just when she heard something about her hair needing some fixing. She let out a yelp when she collided with the floor.

“Oh for Satan’s sake, you klutz,” Penelope murmured. She got up and walked around the bed. “Did you hurt yourself?” she questioned, holding out her hand.

Josie accepted Penelope’s hand, letting out a shrill shriek – as if she couldn’t embarrass herself any further than she already had – when Penelope pulled her up with enough force it made Josie stumble into Penelope’s arms.

“T-thanks,” Josie stammered, cheeks crimson to the point where she might pass out.

Josie had no idea the devil was that strong, until now. She was willing to bet Penelope could punch a hole through the wall if she wanted to. It was a bit of a turn on if Josie was honest, but she suppressed those thoughts. Penelope was still the devil, nothing good could ever come of that.

“Will you be able to walk around by yourself or should I carry you?”

Josie punched Penelope’s arm when she laughed. “You’re such a tease,” Josie huffed, wriggling herself out of Penelope’s arms.

“I’m going to get changed and then I’ll pick you up for breakfast,” Penelope announced. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Josie answered, appreciating the fact Penelope checked in with her.

Josie was okay with being alone for a little while. The night had passed and her nightmare along with it, for now.

“You can find a change of clothes in the closet,” Penelope said before she headed out the door.

By the time Josie emerged from the bathroom, someone she hadn’t seen before was standing in the middle of the room. It was a young woman as far as she could tell, around her age. The woman’s eyes were on Josie as if she was looking right through her.

“Are…are you a ghost?” Josie wondered aloud. The woman was kind of pale, almost sickly so.

The ‘ghost’ chuckled at that. “I’m a demon,” she answered, leaning her back against the door, thus blocking the only exit.

“Oh…so you torture people?” The idea of people being tortured didn’t sit well with Josie, no matter what they did before they died.

“Those who deserve it, yes. I can show you, if you’d like, unless you’re afraid I’ll bite, which, either way, I might.”

Josie rolled her eyes. She wasn’t scared of some demon. That threat had to be an empty one. There was no way that demon was going to hurt someone who didn’t even belong in hell. The demon said it herself, she only tortured people who deserved it, although on that thought, maybe Josie did.

Josie never should have called her sister a selfish brat and miss out on her ballet recital just to go to her soccer training. Lizzie had high ambitions. She was auditioning for a scholarship to get into the Royal Ballet School in London. It was everything Lizzie had ever wanted. And Josie wasn’t there to support her. The last thing she said to her sister was ‘not everything revolves around you.’

It came from a place of anger. Lizzie didn’t watch a single of Josie’s competitions. But that didn’t justify what she said. Maybe she deserved to be haunted by the past, to carry that with her forever, to be tortured.

The demon licked her lips. “How young are you?”

“Twenty-one,” Josie answered, taking a step back when the demon revealed a set of fangs. Oh, the biting comment wasn’t a joke then.

The demon locked the door. “You’re lucky Penelope cares about you,” she said while she backed Josie up into a corner. “It’s been a while since I drank human blood directly from the source,” the demon shared with a grin.  

“Hope!” Penelope’s voice boomed. She ripped the door clean off, hinges and all before she stormed into the room, eyes narrowed. “Leave the mortal alone,” she lowly bit out.

“I was only teasing. I didn’t even touch her,” the demon – Hope – responded. “I wanted to meet…your friend. And introduce myself.”

Hope shifted her attention back to Josie. “As you already heard from the devil herself,” Hope said, “my name is Hope.”

Josie’s gaze dipped down to Hope’s outstretched hand. “I’m Josie,” Josie replied, shaking the – vampire’s? demon’s? – hand.

Hope lifted Josie’s hand up to her lips and planted a kiss on her knuckles. It was strange how cold Hope’s hand felt yet how much warmth radiated from her lips. “If this place is ever dull to you, come find me,” she whispered, and with a wink, she left.

Josie was a bit perplexed about what just happened, trying to wrap her head around it. Meanwhile, Penelope followed Hope’s retreating form with her eyes as if she was going to string Hope up and skin her alive. Josie gulped when she noticed Penelope’s hands were on fire, literally on fire. Even those golden browns Josie could get lost in burned red.

Oh, so that was what Penelope looked like when she was angry.

“Penelope?” Josie uttered quietly, approaching step by step.

And just like that, the fire disappeared, replaced by a cautious smile. “Are you frightened of me now?”

Josie rolled her lips into her mouth, thinking it over. Did Penelope want her to be? The night Josie had, cuddling with Penelope, told her no. Surely the devil wouldn’t be so gentle toward her if she wanted Josie to fear her.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Penelope was going to kill Hope, revive her, and kill her again. With that thought in mind, Penelope had excused herself from breakfast and dragged her disobedient demon into a corner. Penelope specifically told Hope to not even breathe near Josie, and Hope didn’t even make it twelve hours before she threw Penelope’s words to the wind.

Penelope hadn’t meant to rip off her door for Josie to see, but she had to ensure Josie’s safety. Hope was out of line, taunting Josie of how she would bite her, and daring to kiss Josie’s hand. Penelope would have set Hope on fire, it surely was tempting, but Penelope didn’t want Josie to observe such a scene, and as a demon, Hope couldn’t be burned.

“What were you thinking?” Penelope seethed at Hope.

“I was rattling the mortal a little,” Hope said, holding up her hands. “No need to be this riled up. I’d never steal your food, you know that.”

“JoJo is not some snack I intend to devour,” Penelope replied, regardless of how much she wanted to touch every inch of Josie’s body and fuck her until she was unable to walk.

But Penelope didn’t want to crush Josie’s heart into a pulp, not when the mortal crept past Penelope’s invisible armor and made her give a damn. She wasn’t keen on sleeping with some human who would cling to her afterward. Josie was like a bear cub with the way she wrapped herself around Penelope last night. Mortals were odd creatures, driven by their emotions.

“You care deeply for this mortal, I can see that,” Hope stated.

Penelope didn’t dignify that with a response. Last night, when she was in Hope’s room before Josie’s scream alarmed her, Penelope was willing to have a proper conversation with Hope about Josie, but with the stunt Hope pulled today, Penelope wasn’t so inclined to discuss personal matters.

“I know fire can’t harm you,” Hope went on. “But this one might get you burned.”

Penelope had to bite back a scoff. It almost sounded as if Hope cared. Demons didn’t do that. Neither did the devil, but Josie was special to Penelope in ways she couldn’t quite put her finger on yet.

Penelope leveled her gaze with Hope’s, speaking slowly as she said, “Then let me burn.”

“Let you?” Hope guffawed. “Did it ever cross your mind I give a fuck? Because I do. You’re my best friend and I know attachments are gross, but guess what? Suck it up.”

“You know I’ve always appreciated your no-nonsense attitude, Hope. Your father was right about your skills,” Penelope sighed, lowering her head. “But you let me down this time,” she continued, raising her chin, watching Hope avert her gaze.

“I think the mortal cares for you, too,” Hope whispered, pursing her lips. “The way she looked over my shoulder to look at you as if she wanted to leap into your arms and stay there, made me throw up in my mouth a little. Not to mention her heart…,” she trailed off with a sideways smile.

Penelope decided to take the bait and bite. “What about her heart?”

“When you arrived, it skipped a beat.”

“Because I tore off my door,” Penelope pointed out, which she ought to fix before the night came around again.

Josie said no when Penelope asked her if she was frightened of her, but that didn’t mean Josie wasn’t startled by Penelope’s rage.

Hope shook her head. “Her heart skipped a beat _after_ you entered your room.”

“Tardy reaction?”

Hope chuckled. “That hard for you to believe the mortal fancies you?” she teased, looking entirely too pleased with herself. Information like this or not, her head was still on the chopping block. “Words can hide the truth, but body language is an open book. I could prove it to you.”

That did pique Penelope’s interest. She wasn’t ready to forgive Hope for her misstep, but Penelope was curious enough to find out how much truth Hope’s statement contained, and how she was going to prove it. Penelope hadn’t forgotten about how Josie kissed her cheek, though the mortal was clearly overwhelmed by emotions due to the nightmare she had.

“What do you have in mind?” Penelope inquired.

“I’ll flirt-”

“If you play with Josie I will starve you,” Penelope warned in a calm voice, but underneath it all, she had to keep herself from giving Hope a date with liquid silver.

Hope laughed darkly. “I wasn’t finished yet,” she ushered, moving her hands in a hush motion. How dare she tell the devil to be quiet? “My plan isn’t to make you jealous,” Hope explained. “I’m going to make the mortal jealous. Do you trust me?”

“Oh yes, like a heart attack.”

Hope wound her arms around Penelope’s neck. “Love you too,” Hope mused, grimacing as soon as those words left her lips.

“You think saying that makes you miserable?” Penelope scoffed, though she smiled. “You should try hearing it.”

“Are you in or not? I don’t have all day. I have maggots to torture.”

Penelope narrowed her eyes. “What’s in it for you?”

“I know you, Hope,” Penelope pressed on when she didn’t receive an answer. “There are always strings attached to your offers.”

“Your blood,” Hope confessed. “If you let me feed off of you for a year, we have a deal.”

Penelope arched a brow. “Hard bargain for something as simplistic as you flirting with me.”

“That didn’t sound like a no to me,” Hope quipped. “Besides, you like how it feels.”

Penelope slipped her hands under Hope’s shirt and dragged her nails down Hope’s back. “Make it worth my while,” Penelope hushed, ghosting her lips near Hope’s just to get under her skin. 

Hope grumbled, no doubt finding this nauseating as well. “Challenge accepted,” she replied, running her thumb across Penelope’s lips, cutting open her bottom lip with her nail in the process.

Penelope hissed at the feeling. Now was not the time to get in the mood. She knew it was Hope’s final attempt at being a tease before heading off to do her job. As the devil, Penelope made a point of not having sex with her demons. That and Hope’s taste in lovers didn’t stroke with Penelope’s. One too many times, she saw Hope leading a man into her chambers.

Hope pulled her thumb back with a droplet of Penelope’s blood on it, smiling like only a true demon would as she sucked her digit clean. “See you at dinner,” Hope said, “you sexy devil.”

“Don’t make me wait too long for dessert,” Penelope quipped, licking the remainder of her blood off her lips.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Baked potatoes, an entire turkey, and a selection of vegetables were only some of the things on the large dining table, making Josie’s mouth water. But in the end, as Penelope walked in after having made Josie wait, she was starving for a different reason altogether.

As it turned out, some things really were worth waiting for. Josie swallowed while she ran her eyes up and down Penelope’s body, noticing the devil changed into a different outfit. Black pants snuggly hugged Penelope’s hips. The fabric looked smooth and flowed with each brush of air while she walked toward her seat.

A black bra was partially visible behind a white top tied in front of Penelope’s chest with a knot, and a strip of her stomach was exposed. No red, how peculiar. Clothes like that left little to Josie’s imagination, but she was too thirsty to think straight. Literally, she was parched. And she couldn’t blame it on how she always woke up with a dry mouth. It wasn’t morning, it was evening.

Josie couldn’t lie to herself. Penelope was the reason Josie needed a glass of water to cool down a little. She was only human and Penelope was drop-dead gorgeous.

“I may have gone overboard with the amount of food,” Penelope spoke as if she didn’t put out a crazy amount of food yesterday. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Quite,” Josie mumbled, biting her lip. Way to make it obvious.

Penelope gazed up from her plate, which she was in the process of filling. “Hmm?”

Oh thank God, Penelope must not have heard what Josie said. “I said right,” she lied through her teeth, feeling her stomach twist.

Josie reasoned a little white lie was better than yet another embarrassment.

“Right?” Penelope repeated.

That did sound like an awkward way to react to ‘I hope you’re hungry.’ Josie didn’t think this through. “I meant it as in right, you have gone overboard with the food,” she explained, pleased with her quick thinking. “We’ll never be able to finish all of this,” she noted aloud, finding it a pity so much food went to waste while there were people who couldn’t even afford to eat every day.

“Oh, this isn’t just for the two of us,” Penelope mentioned with a casual tone. Without any explanation whatsoever or another word, she went on her merry way, filling up the rest of her plate.

Josie was confused. What did Penelope mean it wasn’t just for them?

“Others eat once we are finished,” Penelope added after a long pause.

That made sense to Josie and she was glad the leftovers didn’t wound up in the trash. She selected random things to try, enjoying each bite as she filled up her stomach. Her appetite was much better than yesterday, or well, it was, until a demon walked in.

Hope cracked her knuckles and moved her head around, rubbing her neck.

“Are you sore again, babe?” Penelope asked Hope, reaching out for the demon’s hand.

Josie nearly choked on her food. Babe? That was a lot more affectionate compared to how Penelope yelled at Hope before breakfast.

“Mhmm, torturing mortals is exhausting,” Hope sighed, lacing her fingers together with Penelope’s.

“I’ll give you a massage after dinner. How does that sound?”

Josie wondered if she was wrong to think Penelope got mad at Hope because Hope seemed to threaten Josie’s safety, and if maybe the real reason Penelope got angry was because she had a thing with Hope and didn’t want her near some random human.

It was possible Josie read the situation wrong all those hours ago. Maybe when Hope told Penelope she didn’t even touch Josie, Hope meant it as in how she didn’t kiss Josie or anything that would equal being unfaithful. Josie had automatically assumed Penelope’s outburst was linked to her safety, but now Josie wasn’t too sure about that anymore.

“Are you joining us for dinner?” Josie asked Hope, and before the demon could answer, Josie added, “I don’t see any blood on the table unless that bottle of wine isn’t what I think it is.”

“My food may not be _on_ this table, but it’s very much _at_ this table,” Hope replied at the same time she leaned over Penelope’s chair and wound her arms around her neck from behind.

Josie’s eye twitched. Did they have to be that chummy right in front of her? She was trying to eat. It was worse when Penelope smiled at Hope in the way Josie – up until now – believed was only reserved for her. She sighed, knowing this shouldn’t bother her. Last night was nothing more than a possible friend comforting Josie while she was in bad shape.

When Hope sat down on Penelope’s lap rather than fetch a chair, it was the last straw, robbing Josie from her appetite. It was inappropriate to start up foreplay in front of a guest. Okay, Penelope and Hope were only hugging and smiling at each other, but they were practically undressing each other with their eyes.

“Anything the matter, JoJo?” Penelope questioned with a frown on her lovely face.

“I’m feeling a little under the weather,” Josie answered, taking a sip of water, feeling a little hot for drawing attention with her ridiculous behavior. She should eat and try to smile instead of being bitter.

Penelope whispered something inaudible in Hope’s ear, and not even five seconds later, the demon got up and left the dining hall. Josie felt worse when Penelope approached her. It was a selfish move of Josie, to suck up Penelope’s time when she had been around her all night and pretty much all day. Penelope hadn’t left Josie’s side for longer than half an hour, tops. And that was only when Penelope got changed.

Josie regretted she stopped eating as abruptly as she did. No wonder Hope threatened Josie when all she did was get all of Penelope’s attention.

Penelope placed the palm of her hand on Josie’s forehead. “No fever,” Penelope noted. “I don’t have a doctor around here, but I can give you a checkup myself,” she offered, kneading Josie’s shoulders, thumbs brushing slightly under Josie’s shirt.

Josie blanched and if she wasn’t sitting down, she would have fallen. The implication of Penelope examining her made Josie a little weak in the knees. She hadn’t really been touched in any way like that for the past six months or so.

“I um, ah, um,” Josie stammered. “I think I’ll live.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Penelope fluffed the pillows and pulled back the sheets while Josie was in the bathroom. It was another night where Penelope would sleep in her own chambers. She knew what sharing her bed with Josie meant, but it was fine.

Josie slipped out of the bathroom, a small smile on her face. “Are you okay spending the night here?” she asked while she got in bed. “I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, and some people only cuddle when they’re in a relationship. I’m single, and a cuddle bug, so I don’t mind. But I was wondering if you do?”

To be perfectly honest, cuddling used to be one of the most uncomfortable things Penelope could think of. She would rather tear off her skin and take an acid bath, but then Josie had wrapped around Penelope as if she was a lifeboat, keeping her afloat. Penelope knew Josie was fishing whether she had a thing with Hope or not, and it was good to know Hope’s plan wasn’t in vain.

During dinner, it took a lot out of Penelope to play her part rather than push Hope away and express her disgust. Thinking about Josie helped with that. Once Josie acted off, Penelope wasted no time telling Hope to go, although Penelope had a hunch why Josie behaved in such a strange manner.

“I don’t mind being here,” Penelope stated.

“Okay,” Josie sighed, chewing her bottom lip. “If you’re sure.”

Penelope could imagine how the wheels turned in Josie’s head, wondering if Penelope was available or not. She left that in the dark for now and got settled next to the mortal. If Josie truly wanted to know she had to be to the point rather than stumbling around her shyness.

Penelope was easily desired by others and while it was fun, it hardly moved her. Josie was different, for the first time, Penelope found herself wanting to be wanted by someone, and the fact Josie didn’t swoon when they met, intrigued Penelope. Others had to put in work to seduce the devil, not the other way around, but thanks to Hope’s efforts, the scales might balance.

Josie scooted closer, inch by inch. “What will you be doing tomorrow?” she inquired, running her fingertips down Penelope’s arm.

Penelope’s eyes darkened at how Josie’s touch gave her goosebumps. Penelope wasn’t planning on doing anything special tomorrow, though there was something she could arrange. “Do you enjoy going to the movies?”

Josie’s hand stilled. “You have a movie theater?” she wondered, blinking. “Here in hell?”

“It’s not quite a movie theater, but it makes do,” Penelope answered, listening while Josie hummed as those fingers caressed her arm again. “I might even let you choose a movie,” Penelope mused, although she favored anything that was horrific, and she doubted Josie would select something even remotely scary.

“I haven’t gone to the movies since…” Josie lowered her eyes. There was a sad glint in them. She tangled her fingers in Penelope’s nightdress, staying close.

Perhaps the mortal needed something to hold on to. Penelope snaked her arm around Josie, pulled her into her, and caressed the mortal’s hair while Josie breathed unevenly. Josie’s body molded against Penelope’s, like a perfect fit.

“I got you, JoJo,” Penelope whispered, stroking her hand down Josie’s back.

Josie tipped her head back. “Good night, Penny,” she uttered ever so softly, kissing Penelope’s cheek.

Penelope would have strangled anyone who dared nickname her like that, but Josie wasn’t anyone. Josie was the only mortal Penelope had ever cared about. So, she smiled and kissed Josie on the nose. Cute girls deserved nose kisses.

“Good night, JoJo,” Penelope breathed out, feeling a foreign warmth in her chest when Josie smiled while the corners of her eyes crinkled.

Was this what it felt like to be into someone in a way that wasn’t inherently sexual? No, no, Penelope was the devil. She couldn’t feel this way. The devil did not love. Now she finally understood what The Grinch was on about when he said: “help me, I’m feeling.”

“You can choose a movie,” Josie yawned, eyes drooping. “I’ll watch anything with you,” she murmured, dozing off.

Penelope’s heart stopped. She wanted to stay close to Josie and protect her from evil, but everything inside of Penelope screamed at her to run.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it took ages for me to update, so I hope this chapter has been worth the wait. Enjoy! :)

“Hope, open the bloody door!”

“Open it right now or I’ll splinter it to pieces,” Penelope warned sharply.

“What the hell, Penelope?” Hope grumbled, yanking the door open. “You knocking on my door like a lunatic made Minxie spit fire onto my carpet. Tomorrow, I’m locking her in your chambers. She can eat the mortal for all I care.”

“Stop whining, I’ll get you a new carpet.”

“Why are you here in the middle of the night?”

Penelope paced back and forth, hands on her sides. She ran, she actually ran. Well, gently at least, at first. She was careful when she untangled herself from Josie to avoid stirring the girl and shoved a pillow into Josie’s arms instead. Penelope couldn’t bear to stay another minute. She just couldn’t. Everything inside of her had screamed to put distance between the mortal and her, so she did.

“It’s Josie,” Penelope shared in a harsh whisper. She combed a hand through her hair and shook her head, scoffing at how much she let herself get affected. “She’s latching on to me. I can tell.”

“I noticed,” Hope hummed, plopping down on her bed. She patted the empty space next to her, following Penelope as she went to sit down next to her.

Penelope had a strange fluttering feeling in her stomach. It felt entirely foreign and slightly sickening, yet her body appeared to be welcoming it with open arms.

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Hope prompted after a prolonged silence. “You wanted that human to be jealous of the possibility you were taken.”

Penelope knew there was truth in that. Her behavior hadn’t been subtle and in hell, nothing stayed hidden. “I think I…” She stopped, involuntary shuddering at the mere thought she already knew couldn’t be changed. “I’m fond of Josie,” she admitted, mostly to herself.

Penelope sighed. “I have feelings for her,” she said ever so quietly. “Josie cuddles with me and it doesn’t make my skin crawl.”

“The devil, smitten? That’s adorable,” Hope mused with a chuckle.

Penelope didn’t come here to be taunted. “Hope,” she warned through gritted teeth. Tonight was not the time for her patience to be tested.

“You can’t teach an old demon to change her tune,” Hope replied with a shrug. “But,” she tacked on a second later, “you and I are friends, of sorts. And you seem…distressed.”

Penelope couldn’t quite tell if Hope was being serious right now or still mocking her, although Hope sounded sincere, so she was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, for now.

Hope folded her hands onto her lap. “What happened?” she inquired, daring to lift one of her hands and place it onto Penelope’s knee.

Penelope stared at Hope’s hand and while she would have bit off the head of anyone daring to touch her without her permission, it didn’t bother Penelope. “Tonight I realized I might love Josie,” she explained, feeling that warmth in her chest again like she did when Josie had smiled at her as if she hung up the moon.

“We were talking about watching a movie,” Penelope continued. “Before she fell asleep in my arms, she said she would watch anything with me, and therefore I could choose a movie. I…panicked, so I ran. I knew I needed to get away.”

“The unknown can be scary,” Hope reasoned with a nod.

“I’ve never been afraid of anything,” Penelope stated with a scoff, hating she actually felt scared for the first time in her immortal life. “Josie is special. She’s fierce yet a tiny spider will have her leap into my arms for protection. One moment she looks at me like I’m going to be in trouble and the next she’s curling up against me like she wouldn’t even hurt a fly. People usually fear me when they know what I am, especially mortals, but she doesn’t. Against all odds, Josie trusts me. I… I love her, and that terrifies me.”

“Don’t run away from that feeling,” Hope advised. “She’s attaching herself to you because she wants you close and I think you need her close, too. Sometimes what frightens us the most is precisely what we need to chase.”

Penelope hated how right Hope was. Loving a mortal was nothing but a heartbreak waiting to happen unless Penelope pushed Josie away before she was irrevocably in love with her. If Penelope managed to drive a wedge between Josie and her, there was a chance to forget she ever felt something for a mortal who belonged in the world of the living rather than in hell with the sinners.

“I need you to do something for me tomorrow and you will not like it,” Penelope began, chewing her lip, hesitant in her decision. “But if you do, you can feed off of me for a decade,” she offered, knowing full well Hope wouldn’t pass up such an opportunity.

Hope instantly licked her lips. “Name your price, I’ll do anything.”

“How submissive of you,” Penelope teased, tangling her hand in Hope’s hair, tugging her head back. “Tomorrow,” Penelope hushed in between nipping at Hope’s exposed skin, “I need you to kiss me in front of Josie.”

Hope’s eyes darkened. “You might break her heart,” she responded. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“I don’t care,” Penelope grumbled. “Do as I ask.”

“You do care, and she won’t be the only one getting hurt in the process.”

“You don’t know that,” Penelope bit out, letting go of Hope. “Not for sure,” Penelope uttered, doubting the fact someone, let alone a mortal as sweet as Josie, could love her.

“If you didn’t want my opinion, you wouldn’t have come to my room in the middle of the night. So take a deep breath and listen to your dearest demon for a minute, before I change my mind and go back to poking fun because I’m only going to say this once.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Josie woke up to silence with a pillow clutched in her arms, which had her frowning. To the last of her memory, she fell asleep cuddling with Penelope, after she had specifically asked the devil if she was okay with staying the night. Penelope had said she didn’t mind being here, though now it appeared her words might not have been true.

Josie’s fingers twitched. She hugged the pillow close to her chest while she tried to steady her breathing. Despite the devil’s unmistaken attempts to make her feel welcome in hell, Josie missed her own bed and her cat. As long as she was here, she had no kitchen to wander into late at night when sleep wouldn’t come or when a nightmare wracked through her. She couldn’t go for a walk to get some fresh air because she had no idea what she could end up walking into and most places down here smelled like sulfur.

One up-close meeting with spiders was more than enough. It was kind of embarrassing, although arachnophobia was no joke. Josie didn’t choose to fear those tiny critters, but they were so icky and the further they stayed away, the better. Who knew what other creatures lived in hell? Maybe there was some kind of large dog with three heads or a scary dragon.

Josie shook her head, smiling to herself. The devil being real was one thing she struggled to wrap her head around, but there was no way dragons existed. Those were purely fictional and it was more likely to catch a real-life glimpse of a unicorn than one of a dragon.

When she heard the door creak, Josie hurriedly slid back under the covers and closed her eyes. Footsteps came closer, slowly coming to a halt. The bed dipped a little and a warm body settled against Josie. Her heart raced when she felt an arm slide around her waist, pulling her closer.

“Hey,” Josie uttered, deciding to reveal she was awake. “Where did you go?”

“I went to stretch my legs and had some hot coco.”

“Do you like wandering around…you know, here in hell?” Josie questioned, chewing her lip. “It’s your home and I get that, but it’s still hell,” she reasoned, wondering how anyone could possibly stand to live here for more than a week. It was bad enough she was stuck for a month and the knowledge Penelope would always roam such an eerie place made her shudder.

“Some places are pretty cozy,” Penelope hummed, toying with a lock of Josie’s hair.

Josie’s cheeks heated up at the soft contact. “That’s not what I-” she stammered, losing track of her thoughts when Penelope smiled at her.

It wasn’t one of those smug, cocky smiles or a flirty one where Penelope tried to wrap Josie around her finger. No, it was a genuine smile, the kind that reached Penelope’s eyes while her whole body seemed to relax. It was as if this moment right now with the two of them was right where Penelope wanted to be, or at least that was what Josie liked to imagine Penelope felt when she looked so utterly at peace.

Josie wondered how rare it was for Penelope to smile like that, but despite Josie wanting to believe it had something to do with her, she knew the truth was Penelope was probably seeing that demon girl; Hope. Everything considered, it did make sense if Penelope and Hope were an item, given they both called hell their home, and loneliness was heavy on any living being, let alone immortals.

No, Josie decided, Penelope surely had places she rather wished to be than sleeping next to someone who accidentally wound up in hell due to being stubborn. Josie shouldn’t have jumped through that portal, but it wasn’t like she knew what she was doing or where it would take her.

“Good night,” Josie sighed, opting to turn around to give Penelope some sense of privacy.

Penelope snuggled into Josie and secured an arm around her waist. “Good night, JoJo,” Penelope whispered with a soft hum.

The next morning, Josie woke up to the smell of pancakes, which was unusual. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and slowly but surely, Penelope swam in view, standing next to the bed with a tray in her hands and a smile on her face.

“Good morning, cutie,” Penelope spoke. “I thought you might be hungry seeing how you didn’t eat much last night, so I brought you some pancakes and hot coco.”

Josie’s stomach rumbled in response, which made Penelope chuckle.

“It’s all yours,” Penelope said, setting down the tray. “And if you want, I can always bring you more. Anything for an adorable young lady,” she winked.

Josie let out a silent sigh. The charming devil was back, although it didn’t bother Josie the way it did when they first met, which was peculiar. Perhaps it had to do with the fact she had gotten to know Penelope a little bit better and knew there was more to her than a cheeky attitude and trouble.

Josie glanced at what had to be a dozen pancakes stacked on top of one another. Well, she wasn’t going to starve during her stay here, that was for sure. There was a bottle of syrup on the tray, some butter, a jar filled with jam, honey, and berries. She had a strong feeling she was being spoiled, which wasn’t the kind of treatment one might expect from the actual devil.

Josie’s eyes flitted over her options. “How do you like yours?” she inquired, meeting Penelope’s gaze.

Penelope dipped her finger in the honey. “I like mine sweet,” she answered, popping her finger into her mouth, sucking it clean.

Josie bit back a moan because there was no denying the fact Penelope oozed with sex appeal. The way Penelope’s tongue curled around those words was entirely sultry and seeing her eyes darken was so seductive; it made Josie want to commit a sin.

“How about you?” Penelope shot back, licking her lips. “How do you like yours?”

“S-sweet,” Josie stuttered, quickly busying herself with the cutlery to escape Penelope’s intense eyes boring into hers.

“Mhmm, I bet,” Penelope hummed.

“Are you sure you don’t want some?” Josie flapped out. “Of… of these pancakes,” she clarified, awkwardly clearing her throat. “I doubt I can eat all of it by myself and having breakfast together might be nice unless you’ve already eaten. I didn’t sleep in too much, did I?”

“Relax, JoJo,” Penelope uttered, bringing a hand down, resting it on Josie’s shoulder. “I could eat,” Penelope said, giving Josie’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Josie inwardly cursed when she realized a beat too late there was only one set of cutlery. But sharing wasn’t the end of the world and it didn’t have to mean anything past being polite.

After breakfast, Josie took a shower in the bathroom and got dressed into a pair of slacks held up by a belt and a red blouse. She told Penelope she could choose a movie, which was a decision Josie still stood by, although she hoped it wouldn’t be some kind of horror flick with lots of gore.

“This way,” Penelope signaled, beckoning with her hand. “Watch your step.”

Josie gulped at the mist covering her feet. The further they went, the thicker and higher it became, going up to right below her knees. “Can I hold your hand?” she requested with a blush. She wasn’t a coward or a scaredy-cat, but she had no idea what might crawl on the ground, and it better not be giant spiders.

Strong fingers whisked Josie’s and a second later, a warm palm pressed against hers. “Nothing will harm you as long as you stay by my side,” Penelope assured, voice laced with sincerity and a protective air that made Josie feel at ease.

At some point, after Penelope declared they were almost there, Josie bumped into someone and lost her balance. Powerful arms steadied her, but to her surprise, they weren’t Penelope’s.

“If it isn’t the walking snack,” Hope mused, smiling. “Be careful with those fragile bones of yours.”

“Hope,” Josie uttered with a sigh. “I’d say it’s a pleasure to see you again, but lying is bad and a waste of time, so I won’t. Thanks for catching me though.”

“Oh, the human bites,” Hope noted with a chuckle. “I think I like this one, Penelope. She may not be as mellow as I thought she was.”

“Ignore her,” Penelope grumbled, tugging Josie away from Hope, “she’s a pest.”

Josie just about jumped into Penelope’s arms when she felt something slither past her legs, something with a scaled skin. Her heart shot up in her throat and Josie felt a shiver roll down her spine. “I… I don’t think we’re alone in here,” Josie uttered, lip quivering lightly, invisible enough to hide it in this dark shadowy space. But the same couldn’t be said about the tremor in her voice. “And I’m not talking about the demons. No, something is down here, in the mist.”

“If you wanted to sit on my lap, you could’ve said so, JoJo.”

Josie swatted at Penelope’s arm. “Stop teasing me, I’m serious,” Josie huffed, glaring at Penelope’s insufferable smirk.

“Okay, I’ll behave,” Penelope said, although whether that was true was doubtful. “You can sit on my lap if that would make you more comfortable, though.”

Josie rolled her lips into her mouth. “And you’ll behave?” she checked, hesitant as Penelope confirmed she would.

Penelope wasn’t wrong when she said she didn’t quite have a movie theater, although this space came close to it; for hell. There was a big screen attached to a rocky wall with a projector on the opposite side. On the left and right side, a couple of torches were lit. An array of chairs and couches made do as seats, so, all in all, it was fine. Aside from the fog, which was decidedly less pleasant.

Josie noticed how Hope went to sit several places away from them, which wasn’t unusual in itself because the other – demons? – opted not to sit near them either. But what was strange, however, was the fact Hope grabbed a woman by the back of her neck and smashed their lips together.

“That bloody demon gets on my nerves,” Penelope grumbled quietly, but not silent enough. “Never doing what she’s told,” she muttered. “Why can’t she listen?”

Josie plucked at her blouse. She saw Penelope angry once and she didn’t want to provoke her in any way. “How are you feeling?” Josie asked carefully, unsure if she should be sitting on Penelope’s lap right now when Penelope’s – girlfriend? Ex? – made out with someone.

“It must be difficult,” Josie guessed, eyes flitting toward the pair shamelessly swapping spit. “You and Hope seemed pretty chubby before.”

“Demons can do what they want, for the most part,” Penelope replied, taking her eyes away from Hope, focusing them on Josie instead, and then something in Penelope’s gaze relaxed. “Demons hook up with each other all the time and-”

“Do you?” Josie knew it was rude to interrupt, but she couldn’t help but wonder if Penelope was single, taken, or caught up in a no strings attached kind of situation.

“Heathens, no,” Penelope answered with a dry chuckle. “I never get involved like that with my demons. Hope is a nauseating nuisance, who also happens to be a good friend of mine.”

“Oh…” Josie felt embarrassed she ever felt the slightest bit jealous when Hope appeared close with Penelope, thinking they were dating, while in reality, they were just friends.

If Penelope noticed anything off, she didn’t mention it. “The movie is about to begin,” she announced, and it was a distraction Josie was grateful for.

Josie settled more comfortably on Penelope’s lap, resting her face in the crook of Penelope’s neck. At this moment, with strong arms to hold her, Josie felt safe. Her ear was close to Penelope’s heart, so close that if she listened carefully, she heard Penelope’s heartbeat.

Throughout the movie – some laughable comedy involving zombies that were nowhere near scary – Josie little by little lost her interest, choosing to observe Penelope instead. Josie’s lips parted ever so slightly when Penelope’s eyes locked with hers and their close proximity sent an electric charge through Josie’s body, jolting her forward.

Josie’s lips brushed the corner of Penelope’s, just barely, but in the split second or two it lasted, she felt how supple Penelope’s lips were. Reality washed over Josie when Penelope stared at her, unblinking.

“I…I probably shouldn’t…” Josie uttered silently, backing away. “I shouldn’t have…” She swallowed, realizing she wanted to.

Penelope cupped Josie’s cheeks. “You hold yourself back because you’re a giver. You’re selfless,” Penelope whispered. “I’m a taker. I go after what I want and right now, I want you.”

Josie’s eyes widened. A gasp escaped her parted lips at the same time Penelope claimed her lips with hers, swallowing the sound while Josie melted in the feeling. Penelope was allowed to take because Josie was willingly giving, surrendering to Penelope’s irresistible charm.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their first kiss is a fact. :)

**Author's Note:**

> All right, so, I ship both Hosie and Posie. While I could have fit Hope into the role of the devil, I feel like it's written on Penelope's body, hence I chose Posie for this one. Also, this is my first Posie fic ever so I'm curious what y'all think. 
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated


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